Emergency repairs or ‘renoviction?’ Tenants face off against Mississauga landlord

Tenants at a Mississauga apartment complex say their landlord is trying to force out a group of longtime residents under the guise of emergency repairs.

On Aug.Â 3, tenants at 2869 Battleford Road were given one month to vacate their units so the property owner couldÂ repair water damage caused by a spring storm.

An initial statement emailed FridayÂ to CBCÂ Toronto byÂ propertyÂ management companyÂ Morguard stated that the move was necessary forÂ “emergency repair work,” but in a later emailÂ the firm saidÂ asbestosÂ is the issue, although air quality is safe.Â Â

Tenants facing a temporary eviction say they were blindsided by the notice. There are concerns that Morguard did not give residents adequate time to vacate the units, especially given that theÂ damage occurred months ago.

“I’m a wreck, I’ll be honest with you,” said Matthew Trudell, who’s lived at the low-rise complex since 2007.

“Everybody pretty much is.”

Trudell and his mother live in one of the 18 units that will be affected by the repairs, which Morguard says will take approximately 12 weeks.